Gold separator



Mar. 20, 1923.

1,448,995 J. DEE

GOLD SEPARATOR Filed Jan. 19, 1922 5 sheets-sheet l fizz, Z

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Mar. 20, 1923..

1,448,995 .1. DEE

GQLD SEPARATOR Fllfld Jan. 19, 1922 5 sheets-sheet 2 Mar. 20,1923. 1,448,995

J. DEE

GOLD SEPARATOR Filed Jan. 19, 1922 5 sheets-sheet i} 8., fliiafil a? 0 J I d IZ ZIZIQIZIZIZIZ ZIQIEIZIZIBI?" in particular object is Patented lilllar. 26, 1923.

hded95 JOHN DEE, or SAN rnanorsco, CALIFORNIA.

GOLD SEPABATGR.

Application filezlifanuary 19 1922. Serial No. 530,304.

the United States, and a resident of San Francisco, county of San Francisco and a State of California, have invented a new and useful (iold Separator, of which the following is a specification.

The present invent-ion relates to improvements in gold separating machines and its to provide a machine of the character described adapted to receive gold containing material and to treat the same while it passes through the machine in such a manner that particles of gold are separated from other and lighter particles contained in the material and gathered in such-a manner that they can be withdrawn separately from the machine, whereupon they may be subjected to such further processes as may be necessary for the removal of remaining impurities.

Y'Vith this object in view I have illustrated the preferred form of the invention in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 represents a side elevation of my goldseparator; Figure 2 a top plan view, portions being broken away so as to disclose interior parts; Figure 8 a vertical cross section through a box forming part of my machine along line 33 of Figure 11; Figure 4 a' cross SGCtlOIl'tllIOUgh the same box along line 44: of Figure 1; Figure 5 a longitudinal central cross section through a hopper forming part of my device; Figure 6 a vertical cross section along line 66 of Figure 2 illustrating a cam arrangement for throwing the box sideways; Figure 7 a top plan view of the device illustrated in Figure 6; Figure 8 a fragmentary side'elevation of the box illustrating a discharge for the same; Figure 9 a vertical cross section through the same along line 9-9 of Figure 8, Figure 10 an enlarged detail view illustrating a spring arrangement connected with my device; Figure .11 a longitudinal cross section through a portion of the box; Figure 12 a detail view of a roller on a shaft used in my device, and Figure 13 a plan view of a modified form of riffle arrangement in the box.

While the preferred form only has been illustrated in these drawings 1 wish to have it understood that many changes or modifications may be made as to the details without departing from the spirit of the invention and without leaving the scope of the cl aims" heretoattached;

In Figure 1 my gold separator is shown as supported in the frame (1) comprising four lower horizontal frame members (2), four upright frame members (3) and four upper horizontal frame members resting on the vertical ones. The two boxes (6) and (7) rigidly secured to each other by means of straps (8) and (9) in such a manner that the box (6) slants downwardly in a forward direction while the box (7) slants downwardly in a rearward direction are suspended from the two transverse upper frame members by means of the chains (9) and (11-) secured in hooks (12) extending through perforations (13) inside frame members (4) and having balls (14) secured to their ends by means of proper nuts (16'), the balls fitting into conical recesses (17) at the upper end of the perforations (13). The

1 lower ends of the chains (9) and (11) are securedin cross members (18) extendingunderneath the box (6) by means of nuts (19). The boxesare somewhat narrower than the frame so that they are free to swing not only in a longitudinal direction but also laterally.

Longitudinal reciprocating motion is imparted to the boxes by means of a cam arrangement illustrated particularly well in Figure 1 and comprising a stationary shaft (21) supported in the frame above the box (6) having two cams (22) supported there on preferably near its center, which cams are adapted to engage roller (23) supported on a shaft (24. secured in bearings (26) resting on the side members (27) of the upper box (6). The roller is held in place so as to register with a cam by means of two collars (28) held to the shaft by means of setscrews (29). The roller is preferably provided witha rim (31) of rubber as shown in Figure 12. The shaft (21) can be rotated bymeans of the pulley (32) secured thereon. It will be seen that by this arrangement when the shaft (21) is rotated thecams (22) willsucressivelyengage the shaft (2a) and throw the same forward.

The box returns to its original position by its own weight andis preventedfrom swingingbeyond the same by means of the springs (33), one of which isillustrated in detail in Figure 10: The latter is imbedded in a sleeve (3 1) secured in one of the upright frame members (3) by means of the cap 36) and a nut (37) screwedto the same-and bears at one end against a longitudinal sleeve (38) and at the other end againsta cap (39) provided with a cover of fabric (41), which latter is engaged by a projection (42) associated. with one of the boxes upon its return motion. in this manner the boxes are stopped each time at the proper place so as to be ready to be engaged by the succeeding cam and to be thrown forward again.

Laterally the boxes are guided by means of the arrangement illustrated in detail in Figure 4 comprisinga metal member (44) pivotally secured to a longitudinal frame member (46) as shown at (47), the free end of which pivotally engages a transverse member (48) secured on a girder (49) extending over the sides and the top of the box The position of the transverse member (48) can be adjusted on the girder (49) due to the fact that three perforations (51) are provided for each bolt (52) secur ing the transverse member to the girder. Corresponding slots (53) are provided in the transverse member (48) allowing of lateral adjustment of the transverse member relative to the bolt In this manner the longitudinal motion of the box is changed to substantially follow the curve of an are described by the free end of the member (44).

The lateral motion thus prescribed for the box is intensified by the cam arrangement shown in detail in Figures 6 and 7 comprising a roller supported on v pin extending between the two metal members (57) secured on the longitudinal frame member (4-6) and thecam (58) carried by the shaft (59) secured in the brackets (61) extending from the side of the box (6). At a certain predetermined time the cam is forced past the roller box sideways whereby a jerking motion is imparted to the same.

The two boxes (6) and (7) are substantially alike in shape and have the same function. A cross section through the upper box is shown in Figure 3, from which it appears that the box is provided near its top with a screen (62) resting on the angle irons (63) .and with a riftled bottom (64) which slants downwardly from left to tudinal cross section through the riliied bottom is shown in Figure 11 fromwhich it appears that pluralities of small rifiies (66) alternate'withlarger grooves (67) and that the tops of the riflles are slightly bent back ward so as to oppose the forward motion of the material passing over the same. At the lower end of each one of the larger grooves are provided two openings (68) and (69), one vertically over the other, the former serving as an outlet for the heavier particles gathering in the grooves while the latter serves as an outlet for the lighter particles. Both outlets may be closed by means of the gate (71) hingedly supported on the pin (72) and actuated by means of the handle (54) and throws the right. A longi messes (73), and the upper outlet may be opened separately by means of a small sliding gate (7 5) secured on the gate (71).

Instead of arranging the bottom (64) so as to slant from left to right, the modification illustrated in Figure 13 may be adopted, in which the bottom is arranged horizontally laterally, but in which the riflles (66) slant downwardly in staggered relation so that the particles of old would be worked downwardly ;raduall following a zig-zag path.

The hopper (76) is supported on the frame by means of the brackets (77) and a bracing member (78). It is preferably made of downwardly converging sides (80) and leaving a slot (79) between themselves and two end members (81) and (82) which also converge downwardly. The side member (77) is provided preferably somewhat below its center with an aperture (83) connecting with a passage (84) having a plurality of baffles (85) therein. A screen (86) is stretched over the hopper so as to extend from its upper just beneath the aperture (88) so that of the material thrown into the hopper those portions that cannot pass through the screen are deflected through the aperture (83) into the passage (84-) while smaller particles passing through the screen fall through the slot (79) on the upper box (6). I provide a special means for regulating the amount of material admitted through the bottom of the hopper in the transverse plate (88) secured on the brackets (89) which are adjustably fastened to the top of the box (6). If a large amount is desired, the brackets may be set back so as to provide a large opening in the bottom of the box, and if a smaller amount is desired the brackets may be advanced so as to reduce the size of the slot.

edge (87) to a place Underneath the working parts of my machine I provide a conveyor (91) resting preferably on the rollers and adapted to move the material dropping out of the passage (84) as well as falling from the lower box (7 to any desired place.

The operation of the device will be easily understood from this description. The material containing gold particles is thrown into the hopper where the larger portions are separated by means of the screen (86) and carried through the the conveyor (91), the baffles (85) serving to mitigate the force of their fall. The finer portions drop on the screen (62) which again separates them allowing only those not exceeding a certain diameter, say about one-half of an inch, to fall through the same. The others pass over the screen and if any of them should-be of gold or precious metal they are of suflicient size to be easily discovered. The particles of smaller size fall on the ritlies and are violently agitated by means of the longitudinal as well as passage (84) on lateral motion of the box hereinbefore described so that the heavier particles conspeaking, only an extension of the same taking care of the material that passes the upper box.

I claim:

1. A gold separator comprising a separating box, means for violently throwing the same i'orward and backward and means for simultaneously throwing it sideways, the latter means comprising a roller supported in operative proximity to the box and a cam associated with the box engaging the roller whereby the box is jerked sideways when the cam passes the roller, in combination with radial guiding means substantially confining the path of the box to the are of a circle.

2. In a gold separator of the character described, a box having a bottom slanting forwardly and laterally, a plurality of riiiies on the bottom having their tops turned rearwariilly so as to intercept the heavier materials and to guide the same sideways, a plurality of comparatively large grooves in the bottom arranged so that one groove alternates with a plurality of rifiies, means for draining the heavier particles intercepted by the rifiles into the succeeding groove, and a drain hole at the lower end of the groove for allowing the said particles to be removed from the board.

3. ln a gold. separator of the character described, a box having a bottom slanting forwardly and laterally, a plurality of rifiles on the bottom having their tops turned rearwardly so as to intercept the heavier materials and to guide the same sideways, a plurality of comparatively large grooves in the bottom arrangedso that one groove alternates with a plurality of riflles, meansfor draining the heavier particles intercepted by the rifiles into the succeeding groove, and two drain holes at the lower end'of the groove disposed one above the other for allowing the heavier and lighter particles to be removed separately.

4%. In a gold separator of the character described, a box having a bottom slanting forwardly and laterally, a plurality of riiiies on the bottom having their tops turned rearwardly so as to intercept the heavier materials and to guide the same sideways, a plurality of comparatively large grooves in the bottom arranged so that one groove alternates with a plurality of riflles, means for draining the heavier particles intercepted by the riffies into the succeeding groove, and two drain holes at the lower end of the groove disposed one above the other for allowing the heavier and lighter particles to be removed separately, with a gate hingedly secured to the box for closing the drain holes.

5'. In a gold separator of the character described, a box having a bottom slanting forwardly and laterally, a plurality of riflies on the bottom having their tops turned rearwardly so as to intercept the heavier materials and to guide the same sideways, a plurality of comparatively large grooves in the bottom arranged so that one groove alternates with a plurality of ritHes, means for draining the heavier particles intercepted by the riflles into the succeeding groove, two drain holes at the lower end of the groove disposed one above the other -for allowing the heavier and lighter particles to be removed separately, with a gate hingedly secured to the box for closing the drain holes, and a small slide provided on the gate for opening the lower drain hole by itself.

JOHN DEE. 

